Mailing device



March 29 1927.

W. D. M GANN ET AL MAILING DEVICE Filed Jan.14, 1922 fai /Ten T0717:

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mama Mar. 29, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM DOUGLAS IOGANN, OF RAVINIA, AND JAMES GEORGE -IOGBEEVY, OI CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS 'IO ONTARIO COMPANY, OI CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION OI ILLINOIS.

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Application filed January 14, 1922. Serial No. 528,124.

This invention relates to mailing devices for use in transmittin separate enclosures such, for example, as rst and second class mail matter in a unitary packet or carrier provided with separate compartments for the rece tion of t e various enclosures.

The ject of the invention is to provide a device of this character WhlCh may be formed'of a single closureor blank, and which is practical, I of simple construction and cheap to manufacture.

Illustrative means for accomplish ng these obj ects-are shown in the accompanymg drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a partially folded blank employed in forming the device.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device showing certain of its compartments ready to be closed and sealed.

, Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 2 showing the various. compartments of the closure.

Fig. 4 is a view of the device showing the flaps folded and secured, ready for mailing.

In the illustrative arrangement, a packet or carrier is formed from a. single unit or blank having flap portions adapted to cooperate with and be secured to each other to form a packet or carrier having a plurality of compartments.

Referring to the drawings, a blank from which the packet-or carrier is formed is designated as a'whole b the numeral and has a main body portion 11. Along one of the longitudinal sides ofsaid body-portion is formed a wide flap-0r fold 12 fold able on the portion 11 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 to form a relatively large compartment 13 for reception of enclosures not intended to be sealed,-such, for example, as

second class mail matter.

To provide a smaller compartment 14 for the reception of enclosures which are intended to be sealed, such, for example, as first class mail matter, the portion 11 is provided along its opposite side with a relatively narrow flap or .fold 15having a portion of its inner or contacting surface 'gummed as indicated-at 16 (Fig. 1).

It will be observed that when the flap 15 is folded down upon the flap 12, the gum will cause the former to adhere to the latter thus forming the compartment or pocket 14,

the gum on the flap 15 bein so placed as to securely seal-three sides 0 the said compartment.

To form the bottom or closed end of the larger compartment 13 and to seal the smaller compartment 14, a pair of relatively narrow flaps 17 and 18 are formed along one end of the portion 11 and have. their longitudinal margins gummed as indicated at 19.

The flap 17 when folded over upon the flap 12 as shown in Fig. 2 is caused to adhere thereto by the gummedsurface 19, thus forming a portion of one-end of the compartment 13 and the flap 18 when folded and caused to adhere to the flap 15 will close the remaining portion of that end of the compartment 13 and completely close and seal the compartment 14.

To close the opposite end of the compartment 13, a flap 20 formed along the opposite end of the portion 11 is adapted to be foldedover upon the flaps 12 and 15 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The said fla 19 may be held in such position by any re easable fastening means as, for example, a

string 21attached to the paper disc 22 on the end flap 20 and adapted to be twisted around a disc 23 secured to the flaps 12 and 15.

If desired, the flap 15 may be provided with a window 24 for displaying an address on the letter or other enclosure within the compartment 14. The said window may be provided with a transparent medium 25 for covering the address portion of the letter or other enclosure.

The 'posta e for carrying the first class "matter may e placed on the address portion of the packet or carrier as indicated at 26 (Fig. 4), while the postage for carrying other than first class matter ma be placed in the lar er portion of the pac etas indicated at 2 Thus, two pieces of mail matter of different classes, for instance, a sealed letter and second class mail, may be combined in a unitary packet or carrier without taking the time and trouble of separately addressing the individual pieces, since the address on the one will serve for both.'

Under present postal regulations, such a packet or carrier may be transmitted as a spective compartments.

in other words, the packet 0r carrier may be transmitted as a piece 'of second class mail bearing second class postage, and mcluding a sealed compartment containing first class matter and bearing the same letter ostage as though separately mailed.

T us, the illustrative device aifords a convenient means of availing ones self of the privilege of transmitting a sealed communication bearing regular letter postage, as a part of second class mail matter.

It will be observed that the entire envelope structure is formed of an integral sheet of material folded on substantially parallel lines longitudinally of the envelope structure to provide the larger compartment for a subordinate class of mail matter and the superimposed envelope compartment, the face of which is wholly exposed and serves as an address space for the whole packagp. Substantially equal sized portions of t e sheet, i. e. the main body portion 11 and the portion referred to as the flap 12, are folded one upon another to provide the front and back walls of the larger compartment for subordinate class mail matter. One of these walls, in this instance the wall provided by the portion 11, has an extension, which is thepart referred to as the flap,15,.this ex tension being of less width than the width of said walls of the larger compartment. Said extension is folded around the edge of. the other wall 12 and overlies a substantial portion of the outer side of said wall 12 and is secured thereto by gumming at the mar-- gins of the extension excepting at the end of the envelope structure. This overfolded extension 15 enclosing the edge of one of the walls of the larger compartment provides the face side of the letter compartment, which compartment may be closed by the flap 18.

While we have described our invention in connection with its use for mailing purposes,

it will be understood that the invention 1sv not limited to such use, butgmay be used to advantage and with equal convenience in any event where it is desired to seal any portion of the matter transmitted.

Obviously the present invention is not limited to the precise details of the illustrative device, but may be variously modified. Moreover, it is not essential that all the features of the invention be used conjointly as they may be used to advantage in variously different combinations and sub-combinations.

We claim- 1. A closure comprising, in combination, a main body portion; a side flap connected thereto and foldable upon said body portion to form a compartment; a second side flap connected to said body portion and foldable upon said first mentioned flap and adapted to be secured thereto on three sides to form a second compartment; a flap secured to one end of said body portion and foldable upon and adapted to be secured to one of said side flaps to close partially one end of said first mentioned compartment; a flap for closing and sealing the open end of said second compartment and completely closing the said end of said first compartment; a flap connected to the opposite end of said body portion and foldable upon said side flaps to close the opposite end of said first mentioned compartment; and means associated with said side flaps and said end flap for holding the latter releasably in compartment-closing position.

- 2. A closure comprising, in combination, a main body portion; a side flap connected thereto and foldable upon said body portion to form a compartment; a second side flap connected to said body portion and foldable upon said first mentioned flap and adapted to be secured thereto to form a second compartm'ent; means secured to one end of said body portion and foldable upon and adapted to be secured to said side flaps to close one end of said first mentioned compartment and to close and seal the open end of said second compartment; an end flap connected to the opposite end of said body portion and foldable u on said side flaps to close the opposite end of said first mentioned compartment; and means associated with said side flaps and said end flap for holding the latter in compartment-closing position.

3. An article of the class described comprising, in combination, a main body portion; flaps connected to said body portion and cooperable therewith to form a plurality of compartments; means for sealing one of said. compartments; and means cooperable with said sealing means for closing one end of: another of said compartments.

4. An article of the class described comprising, a closure having a compartment for the reception of first class mail matter, a second compartment for the reception of other than first class matter, means for sealing said first mentioned compartment and a flap cooperable with said sealing means for closing one end of said second compartment, and means for closing the opposite end of said second compartment.

5. A closure comprising, in combination, a main body portion; side flaps integral with said body portion and cooperable therewith and with each other to form separate compartments, one of said flaps having an opening therein and transparent means secured thereto and covering'said opening; means integral with said bod portion and adapted to cooperate with and be secured to said side flaps to seal one of said compartments and last mentioned compartment; and means for holding releasably said end flap in compartment-closing position.

6. A closure comprisin in combination, a main body portion; si e flaps connected thereto and cooperable therewith and with each other to form separate compartments, one of said flaps having an opening therein; a sealing flap ada ted to seal one of said compartments; a ap cooperable with said sealing flap to close one end of the other compartment; an end flap secured to said body portion and foldable upon said side flaps to close the opposite end of said other compartment.

7. An article of the class described comprising, an envelope having an address-displaying window; a container for other than first class mail matter formed integral therewith; means for closing and sealing said envelope; a flap cooperable with said sealing means for closing one end of said container; and meansfor closing the opposite end of said container.

8. An article of the class described comprising, in combination, a main body portion; means formed thereon and cooperable therewith for forming a plurality of noncommunicating compartments; a plurality of flaps projecting from one end of said body portion, certain of said flaps adapted to seal one of said compartments, and other of said flaps adapted to cooperate with said sealing flap to close one end of the other of said compartments; and means for closing the opposite end of said last mentioned compartment.

9. An. article of the class described comprising, in combination, a main body portion; aps connected to said body portion -names to this s and cooperable therewith to form a plurality I of compartments; means for sealing one of sa1d compartments; and means cooperable with said sealing means for closing one end of another of said compartments.

10. An article of the class described comrisin a closure havin a com artment a secon compartment, means for sealing said first mentioned compartment and a flap cooperable with said sealing means for closing one end of said second compartment, and means for closing the opposite. end of said second compartment.

11. An article of the classdescribed comprising, an envelope having an address-displalying window; a container formed integr therewith; means for closing and sealmg said envelope; a flap cooperable with said sealing means for closing one end of said container; and means for closing the opposite end of said container.

12. A duplex envelope for use in transmitting in the mails, under a common ad- 1 dress, a sealed communication and accompanying unsealed mail matter of a subordinate class, comprising a flat tubular sheath for enclosing said subordinate class matter partially closed on one end and having a closing flap at the opposite end, and a letter envelope superimposed on said sheath and open only adjacent to one end of said sheath and provided with a sealing flap thereat; said's oath and letter envelope being formed integrally of a folded sheet having overlapped portions secured to ether in such manner as torprovide said etter envelope and said sealing flap for said letter envelope serving to complete the closure of the partially closed end of said sheath. In testimony whereof, we have signed our ifica'tion. WILLIA DOUGLAS MQGIAIUT.v

JAMES GEORGE McGREEVY. 

